The Polyhedron Collider Cast

In this special post-Expo episode of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, we unpack all the cardboard, conversations, and convention chaos from the UK Games Expo 2026! After spending three (and a bit) days exploring the halls of the Birmingham NEC, playing as many games as humanly possible, catching up with publishers, designers, and listeners, and carrying far more games than our backs would recommend, we're finally back behind the microphones to share our highlights from the UK's biggest tabletop gaming convention. We discuss the standout board games of UKGE 2026, the biggest surprises from the show floor, the hottest upcoming releases, and the indie gems that deserve more attention. From heavyweight strategy games and family favourites to exciting RPGs, miniatures, and prototypes, we cover the titles that made the biggest impression on us over the weekend. Of course, no UK Games Expo recap would be complete without the presentation of the prestigious Polyhedron Collider Awards 2026. Let us know your favourite UKGE 2026 moments over on our [Discord server]! Podcast Contents 00:00:00 Who is Andy? 00:12:00 The Shelf Dodger: Bunny Kingdom Town, A Carnivore Did It!, Machu Pichu, Mooki Island, Fliptoons 00:19:38 Miniature We are too Scared to Paint (Best Mini): Realms of Tiberium, Ocean City Miniatures, Corvus Belli, Gatehouse Gaming, Wyldwood from Tabletop Titans 00:29:00 Best Bling: UV tokens from ThinkitPrintitUK (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ThinkitPrintitUK), CGE Lost Ruins of Arnak compass tokens 00:33:17 We're On The Tour (Best RPG): The Wildsea, The Last Caravan, Ghost in the Shell RPG, The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game 00:45:56 The Bankruptcy Award (Best Crowdfunding Campaign): Song of the Wildkin, All's Well that Ends 00:53:54 Instabuy Game: Green City, Bunny Kingdom Town, Septima 01:00:29 Game We're Itching to Play Again: Viking Route, Tricky Traps 01:06:46 The Definitely Not Shit Award: Bridges of Shangri-La 01:13:22 Isle of Penguins ⭐Show Sponsor: E Toys World When you sign up to an account with E Toys World use this link [https://www.etoysworld.co.uk/discount/PHC10] to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In Episode 185 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, the boys tackle another eclectic lineup of tabletop goodness—featuring astronomical clocks, fantasy councils, tactical dungeon crawling, and heroic last stands against the forces of darkness. We begin in medieval Prague with Orloj, a beautifully themed Euro inspired by the construction of the famous astronomical clock. It's all about timing, efficiency, and trying not to get lost in a sea of gears and iconography. Next up, we head into the world of Kinfire Council, where negotiation, politics, and strategic card play collide. The dungeon-crawling boots are back on as we explore Warcrow Adventures. We discuss the campaign system, tactical combat, and whether Corvus Belli's leap into narrative fantasy adventure delivers the goods. Finally, we make our stand in Fate: Defenders of Grimheim, a co-operative tower defence-inspired board game full of monsters, teamwork, and heroic desperation. It's big, bold, and occasionally brutal. Along the way expect the usual Collider mix of over-analysis, questionable strategy advice, and tangents that somehow make perfect sense at the time. Tune in for another packed episode of board game chat, fantasy adventures, and cardboard chaos—and let us know what's been hitting your table lately over on our [Discord server]! Podcast Contents 00:00:00 Polyhedron Collider Live at UK Games Expo 00:04:20 Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock 00:23:24 Warcrow Adventures 00:37:35 Fate: Defenders of Grimheim 00:48:25 Kinfire Council ⭐Show Sponsor: E Toys World When you sign up to an account with E Toys World use this link [https://www.etoysworld.co.uk/discount/PHC10] to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

To support Movember go to https://uk.movember.com/ In Episode 176 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, the lads tackle a monster lineup of games covering curses, canals, castles, and cyberpunk chaos. From deep Euros to dicey duels and dystopian roleplay, it's a feast of cardboard, neon and noodles. Hot from our painting challenge, we start with dark rituals and wicked words of Malediction in this spell-slinging game of grimdark miniature combat. Then it's onto Wroth, the latest offering from Chip Theory games; a dice pool area control game that full of neon colours. Things calm down (sort of) with the charming card game Canal Houses, all about building along the waterways of Amsterdam. Beautifully thematic, deeply puzzly, and wetter than a typical UK summer. Next up, we turn the dials and stoke the engines in Steam Power, a game that puts logistics and efficiency at the heart of its design—perfect for anyone who loves their cubes neatly aligned. But we can't help feel we've played it before. And in The White Castle Duel, Two players enter the castle, one player leaves (hopefully with honour intact). We test the head-to-head version of The White Castle and see if it captures the elegance and crunch of the original. Finally, we step into the neon rain for the Blade Runner RPG withe the second case file Fiery Angels, diving into a world of mystery, moral choices, and melancholy monologues. Expect less shooting, more brooding. And don't forget—you can join the discussion over on our [Discord server]! Podcast Contents 00:07:15 Malediction 00:14:15 Wroth 00:25:00 Canal Houses 00:30:12 Steam Power 00:40:52 Terra Mystica 00:43:15 The White Castle Duel 00:51:45 Blade Runner RPG: Case File 02 - Fiery Angels For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Spiel Essen 2025 is just two weeks away, so Andy and Steve take us through their top picks for the show, picking out the best board games that have tickled our fancy and that we hope to play in the near future. Don't forget to join us on our Discord Server https://discord.gg/RtC25Vf2qA Games Mentioned 00:03:57 SETI: Space Agencies 00:07:44 Trickerion: Anniversary Edition and Revenant 00:08:46 Manhattan Project: Energy Empire 00:12:34 Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock 00:14:52 Breaking Moon 00:18:20 The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth – Allies 00:20:08 The White Castle Duel 00:23:17 Miskatonic Tales: Journey to Innsmouth 00:25:41 Era of Atlantis 00:31:02 Tianxia and Thebai 00:38:30 Ayar: Children of the Sun 00:43:06 Ada's Dream, Baghdad: The City of Peace, and Barbecubes For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this special Ramshackle episode, Sid and Rory are joined by none other than Dan Hughes—co-designer of CoraQuest (with his daughter, Cora), Dice Tower regular, and co-host of Sporadically Board. We chat with Dan about the origins of CoraQuest, from a lockdown project to a full-blown published success, and what it's like designing games with kids. Along the way, we discuss the challenges of playing games with your kids, what works, what doesn't, and how to do with a bad loser. For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Welcome to the very first episode of #ramshackle - our new show for all things off-topic, guests, best-of lists, and anything else that doesn't fit into the normal format. Rory and Steve kick things off by talking about their favourite books, talking about Sanderson, Abercrombie and Pratchett. For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Why not buy a board game from our sponsors Kienda: kienda.co.uk/polyhedroncollider In Episode 171 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, we blast off into space, dive into the depths, battle for ancient Greek supremacy, and try our luck at the slot machine of strategy—all in one beautifully unhinged episode. We kick things off with Jackpot: Set the Reel, coming to Kickstarter soon. This quick little card game promises to blend slot machines/fruit machines with strategic card play. Jackpot looks light, but is there enough game behind the glitter? We spin the reels and find out. And what the hell is a puggy! We then explore the depth in Fathom, an entry level board game about exploring the depths and cataloguing its divergent wildlife. Bac to the classics, well sort of, as we go in depth on Cyclades: Legendary Edition, the mythological area-control game full of gods, monsters, tactical auctions, and being a bigger dick than Zeus himself. Does it still hold up? And who summoned a Kraken again? And last of all we go to outer space in Transgalactica, a controversial game of going up tracks and colonising space. Expect the usual dose of board game insight, over analysis, mild nonsense, and just enough arguing to keep things interesting. 🎧 Don't forget to join our community on [Discord] and let us know what you think of the games—or tell us what we missed! https://discord.gg/RtC25Vf2qA Podcast Contents 00:00:00 Osprey Games 00:05:00 Peachy Con 00:05:44 Andy's Birthday Con 00:11:13 Jackpot Set the Reel 00:19:40 Take the Throne 00:20:20 Fathom 00:30:35 Cyclades: Legendary Edition 00:44:12 Transgalactica For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Why not buy a board game from our sponsors Kienda: kienda.co.uk/polyhedroncollider In Episode 169 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, we're back to the normal format with a jam-packed episode full of cardboard strategy, wooden meeples, and the occasional alcahol related tangent. We've got three fresh games on the table—each offering a different flavour of thinky goodness—and we're ready to break them down. Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa We dive into this beautiful and brain-burning game of knowledge, trade, and influence. Set in medieval Timbuktu, Sankoré blends economic planning with cultural prestige—so naturally, we try to out-teach each other. Civolution What happens when you blend civilisation building with a modular tech tree and evolving asymmetry? Civolution aims to answer that. We dig into the mechanisms, the innovation, and whether it actually feels like building a civilisation. Timber Town Time to grab your axe and get to work! This charming, engine-building game about lumberjacks and town planning took us by surprise. It's a lot deeper than it looks—and yes, we make at least three wood-related puns. So grab a brew, get comfy, and join us for another episode of tabletop talk and trite tangents. 🎧 Don't forget to join our community on [Discord] and let us know what you think of the games—or tell us what we missed! https://discord.gg/RtC25Vf2qA Podcast Contents 00:02:11 Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa 00:24:50 Civolution 00:45:27 Timber Town 00:54:47 Questions for the mailbag ⭐Show Sponsor: Kienda When you sign up to an account with Kienda use this link to bag yourself a wee discount and help support the show. Let's face it, you were going to buy a board game anyway 😉 👥Follow Us on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyhedronCollider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyhedroncollider Threads: https://www.threads.net/@polyhedroncollider 🎧The latest episode is available to listen on the following pod-cast services: iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-polyhedron-collider-cast/id1087398150 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1rAPFNc5rE6JURNYakNzA3 Amazon - https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/eba45bc5-0a1d-493c-bbbd-024fe5714147/the-polyhedron-collider-cast YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@polyhedroncollider Player FM - https://player.fm/series/the-polyhedron-collider-cast Podbay - http://podbay.fm/show/1087398150 Or you can add the http://polyhedroncollider.libsyn.com/rss Polyhedron Collider Cast RSS feed to your favourite podcast player Intro and Outro Music: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/